We are the corruption

Aqib Ullah

Apologies to Shakespeare for modifying his famous line: “The fault is within us, not in others.'”

A few days ago, I had to go to Peshawar for some work. When I, along with two friends, reached Timergara, we were informed that there was a shortage of vehicles to Peshawar because many had been booked to go to Raiwind for the ijtima. Since we had to get to Peshawar, we had no choice but to take a local vehicle to Chikdara. Once we arrived, two more friends joined us. There were many others waiting to go to Peshawar, all busy bargaining with the drivers of available vehicles coming and going.

Usually, we pay 700 to 800 rupees for a coaster ride from Timergara to Peshawar. However, the situation in Chikdara was different, as people were desperate to reach Peshawar, and the drivers were taking advantage of their helplessness.

Some drivers were asking 2,000 rupees per person for Peshawar; others were offering seats for 1,800. Eventually, we were offered 1,700 rupees per person by the driver of a small vehicle. With no other options, we accepted to ensure we reached Peshawar on time and didn’t waste the limited time we had.

On the way, the driver picked up two more passengers and charged them 1,300 rupees each. Being a sensitive person, I felt angered by how readily people exploit others’ helplessness. After we arrived in Peshawar, before paying the driver his 1,700 rupees, I told him, “Try to be honest so your children can grow up to be better citizens. Otherwise, you may end up feeling remorseful.”

Afterward, we needed a place to stay, so we booked a modest hotel room and went to bed early. The next morning, one of my friends needed to print a single paper. He went to a shop and returned looking upset. When I asked what happened, he replied, “I had to pay 100 rupees to print this one page because the shopkeeper said that since there’s no other printing shop nearby, he has set the price at 50 rupees per page and 50 rupees for accessing online sites.”

The next surprise came when I went to have my clothes pressed at a shop run by a man who looked, as we say locally, “Noorani” . When I asked about the cost, he said 60 rupees per garment. I paid him but left feeling disappointed. LatI asked another shopkeeper about the unusually high rate, and he told me that this man typically charges 30 to 40 rupees but had increased his price because many people were staying in hotels for upcoming tests. He was taking advantage of the situation. Amazing, right?

After reflecting on these stories, and many others that I overlooked, I concluded that the fault lies in ourselves, not others. Everyone here seems corrupt when given the opportunity. I didn’t encounter any politicians in these situations, nor anyone from the elite class. The people taking advantage of others’ helplessness were people like me and you, from the lower middle class. Before we try to bring about a big revolution, we need an inner revolution to awaken our own dormant conscience.

Jaun Elia rightly says:

جونؔ ہی تو ہے جونؔ کے درپے

میر کو میر ہی سے خطرہ ہے

اب نہیں کوئی بات خطرے کی

اب

سبھی کو سبھی سے خطرہ ہے